Improvement in brick-machines



UNITEDQQSTATES}PATENT Orrrcn.

ALFRED H. KEAY, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

. IMPROVEMENT m BRICK-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,866, dated April 21, 1874; application filed April 21, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, ALFRED H. KEAY, of Medford, Middlesex county, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Implements for Handling and Hacking Bricks, of which the following is a specification This invention relates to an'improved implement for picking up and hacking bricks; and it consists in arranging a metallic frame and a series of slides in such manner that when the apparatus is placed over a number of bricks the same may be taken up and held between the slides and a fixed rest by simply grasping a divided handle, one-half of which is stationary, while the other half is movable in fixed guides, and is connected by link-joints to bell-crank levers provided with segments of teeth gearing into racks connected with the slides. After the bricks have been so lifted and carried they may be deposited inany desired position bysimply releasing the lower half of the divided handle. Springs are employedto bring the parts back into their normal position after they have been brought together by the pressure of the hand of the operator. But, that my invention may be fully understood, I will describe the same in detail by aid of the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view, and Figs. 2 and 3 detail views, .of apparatus arranged according to my invention.

, A is a frame, to' which is attached one-half, b of a divided handle, B. To this frame A is also rigidly connected a vertical frame, 0, and on the same frame A sliding frames D E F are arranged. The outer frames D and F are operated by the toothed segments G and racks H to slide on the horizontal frame A.

The upright frame E also slides on the horizontal frame A, and is operated in one direction by the pressure conveyed from the frame F, as hereinafter described, and in the other direction by aspiral spring, b, shown in Fig.

2. G G are bell-crank levers provided with toothed segments G G, which are operated by links G connected to the half-handle N, which is kept down by the springs c c,

which are, preferably, straps of elastic fabric; but springs of other descriptions may be employed.

In operation, the implement is placed over the bricks to be lifted. The handle B is then grasped by the operator, and the movable half I) is brought toward the fixed half I) by the pressure of the hand, thereby operating the links G bell-crank levers G segments G, and racks H, and bringing the vertical frames D andF inward, and moving the bricks toward the frame 0. When the frame F has moved the brick that is between it and the frame E so far that it touches the latter the *frame E then begins to move toward the frame 0.

Thus, by the pressure. of the. hand upon the half-handle b operating through the bellcrank levers G segments G, and racks 11, the bricks are firmly grasped between the upright frames 0 D E F, and may be lifted up with the implement and carried to any distance. I I When it is desiredto allow the bricks to drop out the half-handle b is released and the apparatus is .held by the stationary half-handle b the springs 0 c then cause the frames D F to move outward, and thespring 1) moves the frame E outward. In this manner the bricks are released and the frame may be removed.

In the drawing I have shown an arrange ment of apparatus by which three bricks may be taken up at the same time; but the arrangement of the apparatus may be varied so as to take up a greater or less number, as may be desired, although three has been found to be a convenient number.

The detailsof construction may also be varied.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The implement for handling and backing bricks, herein described, consisting of a horizontal frame, A, a fixed frame, 0, and one or more sliding frames, D E F, actuated by a half-handle, 11 operating as described,

and suitable intervening mechanism, substan- .tially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a frame, A, and a fixed frame, 0, of one sliding frame or more, operated by means of levers G segments G,

racks H, and a movable half-handle, 1), substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with a horizontal frame, A, and a fixed frame, 0, of one sliding frame or more, operated by means of levers G segments G, racks H, and a half-handle, b, and

one or more sliding frames, E, arranged and operating substantially as described.

, a f ALFRED H. KEAY.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH B. Gnome,

UHAs. J. SMITH. 

